Heel-stiffener machine



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

G. A. KNOX.

HEEL STIFFENER MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 6. 1888.

I INVENTQR.

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WITNEESEE.

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2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

, G. A. KNOX.

HEEL STIPPENER MACHINE.

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GEORGE A. KNOX, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-' STIFFENER MACHHNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,564, dated November 6, 1888.

Application filed May 19, 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE ALFRED KNOX,

of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvement'sin Machines for Making Heel Counters or Stiffeners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for molding or shaping counters or stiffeners for boots and shoes, and has for its object the provision of such improvements as will greatly simplify the organization of such machines and at the same time afford a construction which will at a single operation effect a perfect shaping of the counter or stiffener from the blank and the setting or forming of the flange thereon.

To these ends my invention consists of an improved machine for forming heel stiffeners or counters, comprising a male mold or former, a female mold or former having a heavy rigid bow or heel and heavy though slightly laterally-yielding sides, said bow and sides being molded to impart both the lengthwise and the crosswise or vertical curvature to the counter, and means for pressing the female former upon the material on the male form and compressing the sides of the female former upon the material, meanwhile ironing down or setting the flange of the counter by means of a flangeturning plate or former.

My invention also consists of parts and combinations of parts of the before-mentioned machine.

For a full and clear understanding of my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, and the letters and signs of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, of which drawings Figure 1 is a front view of the upper portion of a counter-molding machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 y, Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional details showing modified means for adjusting the side press-blocks. Fig. 6 represents a section on line y y, Fig. 1. Figs. 7 and 8 represent modificationsin the construction of the female former.

The same letters and figures of reference designate the same parts wherever they occur.

In carrying out my invention any suitably constructed and organized stiffener-molding Serial No. 274,360. (No model.)

machine having a stationary bed, A, and a reciprocating cross-head, B, may be employed, such means being too well known to need particular description herein.

Upon the bed A, I mount a male form or die, a, in such manner that it can readily be removed and replaced by a form of different size or shape and be adjustable on the bed, the means here shown for the purpose being two clamps, b and 12, secured to the bed and adapted to be clamped upon the base of the male form by means of bolts 0 and c. Any other suitable means, however, may be employed for this purpose. In this machine the male mold or former has its sides practically straight and parallel in contradistinction to the former used in the machine for which Letters Patent No. 383,580, dated May 29, 1888, have been granted me, in which machine the neck of the mold (male) is made somewhat narrower than the lower or body part, and for use with which my peculiar flexible or elastic form was invented.

d designates the female former, made from heavy iron or steel or other suitable metal, constituting a practically solid single former, comprising a heavy rigid heel or how portion and heavy though slightly-yielding sides, said bow and side portions being molded so as to impart not only the longitudinal but also the crosswise or vertical curvature to the counter. The bow and sides are made heavy to enable them to retain their molding shape when pressed against the counter; but the sides are enabled to yield to a very slight degree, as hereinafter described, when the female former is co-operating with the male former a, the two being adapted to properly mold or shape a counter or stiffener blank compressed therebetween. The sides of the former d are provided with blocks 6 e, secured thereto by bolts f f or other suitable means, and the former d itself is secured by a bolt, (1, to the bed-block g, the latter being in turn detachably secured to the bed It by ears g, inserted in grooves in said bed. The blocks 6 e are provided for the purpose of facilitating the application of pressure to the former, though instead of attaching blocks 6 e to the sides of the former d said sides may be made of a single piece and provided with a return-bend, as shown in Fig. 8. The bed It moves vertically in its 02s ing j against the stress of springs t t, which serve to press the female mold against the male mold, clamping the counter while the flange is being set, the counter being effectually molded or compressed only when the bed It has reached its highest point and is bearing against the cross-head B.

j designates the frame or casing for the female former, which frame is secured to the cross-head B,so as to move therewith. In the frame j at the sides of the female former d are arranged press-blocks 7r 7t, arranged to bear against the side blocks,c e, of former d. Pressbloeks 7t 7c are very slightly beveled or tapered on their sides adjacent to blocks a e,so that in sliding thereon they may press said blocks and the sides of the female former against the sides of the male form a. Said pressblocks are also made adjustable toward and from the blocks 0 e, to allow the various-sized forms to be used, which adjustment may be effected in various ways. In Figs 1, 2, and 3 I have shown wedge-blocks Z Z, arranged in the frame j at the sides of press-blocks 7.; 7c and adjustable by means of screw-threaded bolts or rods m m, secured thereto or forming parts thereof, and hand or thumb nuts 12 n.

- In Figs. 5 and 6 press-blocks I; k are shown asbearing at their sides against the ends of bolts 0, screwed into the frame 9', so that by turning said bolts 0 in or out the press-blocks 'lr, k may be correspondingly moved or adjusted. In Fig. 5 press-blocks k are shown as hearing against a spring, 1), adjustable by means of a hand-screw, q, having a screw-threaded connection with the framej and bearing at its inner end against spring 19.

r designates the flange-crimping plate, secured to the framej, so as to move therewith. Said plate is made adjustable with respect to the face of the formers by means of bolts 8 s, s s, and .t t, the bolts 8 s ss passing through holes formed in the plate and having a screwthreaded connection with the frame j, while the bolts tt have a screw-threaded connection with the plate 1 and bear at their inner ends against the frame 7'. (See Fig. 6.) By removing flange-turner r bed-block g and its attached former may readily be slipped out of place in the bed It and another bed-block having a former of differentsize or shape put in its place, the flange-turner serving also to retain the female former in place. By thus making the formers a (Z removable a single machine may readily be changed,s0 as to adapt it to the molding of various forms and sizes of counters.

The cross-head B is backed by heavy springs B B of great power; Said springs are interposed between the cross-head and adjustable nuts 0 G on the threaded upper ends of the rods D D, through which the cross-head is depressed by suitable mechanism. (Not shown.)

The strength of the springs B B is such that they yield only under very heavy pressure and impart the final or molding pressure to the blank, as hereinafter described.

The operation is as follows: Ihe counterblank being placed by the operator on the male former a, downward motion is imparted to the cross-head,causing the female former to descend upon the blank and bend it over the male former, the blank being thus clamped between the two formers. After the female former comes to a full bearing on the blank said former yields or remains stationary on the blank, the springsi i being compressed by the continued descent of the cross-head B, so that the blocks 7: is, moving with the crosshead, exert a positive unyielding inward lateral pressure on the female former, thereby slightly pressing its sides inwardly on the blank and compressing the latter sufficiently to cause it to permanently retain the shape of the male former. At the same time the flangeturner passes over the faces of the formers and irons down or sets the flange of the counter, said flange being formed from the material which was left projecting forward ofthe molding-surfaces of the formers. Before the completion of the downward movement of the cross-head the bed h of the female former comes to a bearing on the cross-head B, so that the yielding movement of the female former ceases, and then during the residue of the downward movement the heavy springs B B yield, and their powerful pressure is applied through the cross-head,the female former, and the intermediate devices to the curved rear portion of the counter between the male and female formers, the result being the permanent setting or molding of the counter.

It will be observed that the pressure that permanently molds the counter is applied by the springs B B, the pressure applied by the springs t 1; bending the blank to the desired shape, clamping it between the formers, and forming the sides of the counter. The width of the flange of the counter may be determined by an adjustable gage, G, which is a finger having a hub secured by a set-screw, G, to a stud, H, on the flange-former 1', (see Fig. 2,) said finger standing in suitable proximity to the front of the male former when the formers are separated to form a stop for the front edge of the counter-blank. The operator places the edge of the blank against said stop or gage, which may be adjusted to give any desired width of flange.

I prefer to make thefemale former without crevices or seams in its molding-surface, and to this end, instead of securing said former to the block 9 by means of a bolt passing entirely through the former and having its head on the molding-surface thereof, I provide the former with a boss, 2, on its back to receivea vertical bolt, d, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 or, if preferred, I may form two upwardly-projecting ears or lugs, z a, on the former to re ceive a horizontal attaching-bolt, as shown in Fig. 8. In either case the molding-surface of the former is left intact, and thus the formation of burrs or ridges on the counter is prevented.

IIO

A weight or weights may be substituted for the springs z i to give the described yielding pressure to the female former.

The cross-head B is provided with vertical sockets S S, into which the upper portions of the springs it extend. A cap, T, is secured to the cross-head by a screw, U, and covers the upper ends of the sockets. Heads V V are placed on the upper ends of the springs it within the sockets and are provided with rods V V, which extend down partly through the springs '5 '1: to prevent said springs from buckling. Screws V W, working in tapped sockets in the cap T, bear on the heads V V and regulate the pressure of the springs.

I prefer to make the female former of steel for the sake of strength; but as steel exposed to the damp surface of the counter-blank (the latter being in temper) when it is being molded would have a chemical action on the tannin in the damp leather, and would therefore discolor the leather, I provide for the molding-surfaccof said former a coating, 2, Fig. 2, on which the tannin has no chemical action, said coating being copper or other suitable metal applied by electro deposition.

By my improved means it is not made necessary that the formers should be made narrower at the points Where they operate to form the sides or shank of the stiffeners than at the bow-point, for the reason that the powerful lateral and vertical pressure brought to bear on the stiffener in molding the same effectually sets the shape, so that it will not spring back.

Although I have been particular to describe the form and arrangement of the various parts of my invention, it is obvious that these may be varied without departing from the nature or spirit of the improvements.

It will be observed that the seamless female former normally conforms to the external shape of a finished counter, so that it is adapted to co-operate with the male former in bending a counter-blank into shape by the movement of the two formers into operative relation with each other, the counter being thus bent into shape and held between the two formers before it is set or compressed. It will be seen, therefore, that the compression or setting of the counter is the result ofa very slight,almost imperceptible, downward movement of the heel portion of the female former after the counter has been bent into shape and an equally slight inward movement of each of the sides of the female former, each of said compressing movements taking place after the counter has been bent into shape. There is not necessarily a pause between the bending and the setting movements, the setting movement being a continuation of the bending movements. By thus utilizing the formers for bot-l1 bending the counter full into its final shape and setting the counter I make the counter by a single processthat is, the fiat blank is first given the form of a counter, and is then set or compressed to make said form permanent by the simple movement of the female former into its I operative relation with the male former.

It will be seen that the described construction of the female former enables the counter to be molded by a single process, the heavy molded bow and side portions acting simultaneously to exert a molding, and not merely a holding, pressure simultaneously on all parts of the counter.

I claim- 1. In a machine for molding heel counters or stiffeners, the combination of a fixed male former, a female former shaped to normally conform to the surface of the male former and having a heavy rigid molded metallic heel or bow portion and heavy though slightly-yielding substantially parallel molded side-s integral therewith,a reciprocating cross-head and casing in which said female former has a vertically-yielding movement, and means, substantially as described, for exerting a positive unyielding inward pressure on the sides of the female former during the yielding movement of said former, whereby the sides of the counter are compressed and set, as set forth.

2. In a machine for molding heel counters or stili'eners, the combination of a fixed male former, the female former shaped to normally conform to the surface of the male former and having a heavy rigid molded metallic heel or how portion and heavy though slightly-yielding molded sides integral therewith, a reciprocating cross-head and casing in which said female former has avertically-yielding movement, and blocks having inclined sides, which are caused by the descent of the crosshead to exert a positive unyielding pressure on the sides of the female former during the yielding movement of said former, as set forth.

3. The combination of a fixed male former, a reciprocating cross head and easing, afemale former shaped to normally conform to the surface of the male former and composed of the heavy rigid metallic heel or how portion and the integral slightlyyielding heavy sides, said former havinga limited yielding movement in said casing, and springs B B, arranged to exert pressure on the cross head and female former after the termination of the yielding movement of said former, as set forth.

4:. The combination of a fixed male former, a reciprocating cross head and easing, the female former shaped to normally conform to the surface of the male former and composed of the heavy molded rigid bow portion and the heavy though slightly-yielding molded sides integral therewith, having a limited yielding movement in said casing, blocks for exerting a positive unyielding inward pressure on the sides of the female former during its yielding movement, and springs B B, arranged to exert pressure on the cross head and female former after the termination of the yielding movement of said former, as set forth.

5. The combination of a fixed female former,

, a reciprocating cross-head and casing,a female former shaped to normally conform to the sur face of the female former and composed of a heavy molded rigid heel or bow portion and substantially parallel slightly'yielding heavy molded sides, said former having a limited yielding movement in said casing, blocks having inclined sides carried by the cross-head and arranged to press inwardly on the sides of the female former during its yielding movement, and springs B B, arranged to exert pressure on the cross-head and female former after the termination of the yielding movement of said former, as set forth.

6. The female former composed of the rigid molded heel or bow and the heavy though slightly-yielding substantiallyparallel molded side portions, combined with the bed-block supporting the heel port-ion and the movable blocks k supporting the side portions of the female former, as set forth.

7. The combination of the fixed male former having the form of the interior of a finished counter with substantially parallel sides, the female former shaped to normally fit the contour of the male former and composed of the heavy molded rigid bow or heel portion and the heavy though slightly-yielding molded sides integral with the bow portion,and means, substantially as described, for simultaneously depressing the female former and pressing its sides inwardly with a positive unyielding pressure.

8. The combination ofthe fixed male former, the reciprocating cross-head, the frame or easingj, attached to the cross-head, the female former within said frame or casing, composed of the heavy molded bow or heel portion and the heavy though slightly-yielding molded sides, the flange former supported by said frame or casing, and means, substantially as described,for adjusting said flange-former laterally and for positively holding it at any position to which it may be adjusted, as set forth.

9. The combination, with the male former, of the reciprocating cross-head, the frame or casing attached thereto, the bed It, adapted to slide in said casing, the block 9, detachably engaged with said bed, and the female former composed of the rigid molded heel or bow portion and the heavy though slightly-yielding molded sides integral with said heel portion, and means for exerting a positive unyielding inward pressure on said sides,whereby the latter are caused to co-operate with the male die in compressing and setting a counter, as set forth.

10. The combination of the male die, the vertically-reeiprocating cross-head, the frame or casingj, attached thereto, the bed h,adapted to slide in said casing, the block 9, secured to said bed, the female former secured to said block and composed of the heavy molded rigid heel portion and the heavy though slightly-yielding molded sides integral therewith, and the blocks 7t 70 in the casing, having inclined sides adapted to exert a positive un-' yielding inward pressure on the yielding sides of the female former during the yielding move ment of the former in the casingj, as set forth.

11. The combination, with the fixed maleformer, of the cross-head, the frame or casing j, and the female former composed of the rigid molded bow or heel portion and the heavy slightly-yielding molded sides, and having a yielding movementin said casing, as described, the blocks 70 k in the casing, having inclined sides adapted to press the sides of the female former inwardly during its yielding movement, and means, substantially as described, for laterally adjusting said blocks, as set forth.

12. The combination, with the fixed male former, of the cross-head, the frame or casing j, and the female former composed of the rigid molded bow or heel portion and the heavy slightly-yielding molded sides, and having a yielding movement in said casing, as described, the blocks k k in the casing, having inclined sides adapted to press the sides of the female-former inwardly during its yielding movement, the wedges Z 1, bearing against the outer sides of said blocks, and means, as described, for vertically adjusting said wedges and thereby laterally adjusting the blocks 7c is, as set forth.

13. In a heel stiffener or counter machine, the combination, with the fixed male former, the reciprocating female former, and means, substantially as described, for operating the female former, of the gage G, to determine the width of the flange of the stiffener, the studH, on which said gage is movable toward and from the formers,and the set-screw G, whereby the gage may be affixed to said stud at any point to which it'may be adj usted,as set forth.

14. The combination of the fixed male former, the reciprocating cross-head, the female former composed of the rigid bow or heel portion having the central boss on its back and the slightly-yielding side portions, the bed-block 9, formed to fit the back of the heel portion and to receive the boss thereof and attached to the same by a bolt, d, and the blocks 6 0, attached to the sides of the female former, as set forth.

15. The combination of the fixed male former, the reciprocating cross-head, the easingj, attached to said cross-head, the sliding bed h within said casing, the female former secured to said bed, the springs 13 t, whereby a yielding pressure is imparted to the female former, the blocks is it, having inclined sides, whereby inward pressure is applied to the sides of the former, and the springs B 13, adapted to exert a yielding pressure 011 the cross-head, casing, and female former, as set forth.

16. The combination, with the fixed male former, of the cross-head having the vertical sockets S S, and the cap T, covering said sockets and detaehably secured to the cross-head, the casing j, attached to the cross-head, the bed h, adapted to slide in said casing, the female former secured to said bed, the springs it, bearing on the bed It and extending into the sockets S S, the headsVV, bearing on the upper ends of said springs and having rods V V extending downwardly into the springs, and the adjusting-screws WWV,w0rkingin the cap T and bearing on the heads V V, as set forth.

17. The combination of the male die, the cross-head, the frame or easing j, the bed h, adapted to slide in said casing, the block 9, detachably engaged with said bed, the female former secured to said block, and the flangeformer r, detachably secured to the casing j and serving to retain the block 9 in said casing, as set forth.

18. The combination of the fixed male former, the cross-head, the frame or casingj,

GEORGE A. KNOX. \Vitnesses:

W. O. RAMSAY, O. F. BROWN. 

